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Making Your Room Your Home

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Moving into student accommodation is daunting. You have just left the place you call home and are faced with the prospect of making a new home all by yourself, in new surroundings and with people you have not yet met. Speaking from personal experience, I would argue that the prison-like atmosphere of your new room is not particularly helpful in facing that challenge. Therefore I have put together a few tips that might make you feel more comfortable, welcome and home-y in your new room!

Once you have exhausted your admittedly limited options with posters, photos, drawings etc. on your pinboard, it is likely that your room still looks incredibly dreary. The main thing it is lacking is a bit of colour. As you aren’t allowed to hang posters on your walls, I advise buying bright or patterned things for every other surface you can find. Perhaps you invest in a nice carpet to cover the monotone and cold colours of the floor. My personal top tip is to buy duvet covers, pillowcases, blankets and pillows that you love and pile them onto your bed (also very useful to combat the cold, rainy days ahead). Take the time to choose a whacky pattern or bright colours: this is your chance to bring a bit of life into your room and make it individual! The same could be done for towels, depending on where you might hang them to dry, they could add a touch of colour to your otherwise bleak room.

Another aspect of student accommodation that makes it hauntingly similar to prisoner cells is the lighting. Often shockingly bright and glaring, it removes any chance of making a cosy atmosphere. This can be easily solved. Invest in some lamps (which can be incredibly cheap in places like Ikea) which give you the option for a warmer and more soothing light. If you want to take it even further, fairy lights are a big hit, especially in the dark months to come. There is also nothing better than nice candles to create a lovely Autumnal and Wintery atmosphere. Seeing as you are not allowed any real ones in student accommodation, look into some of the fake ones – there are surprisingly realistic ones out there!

Last but not least: what do you do about the stale air? This is perhaps one of the harder challenges to tackle. You could certainly try to buy a plant and keep it alive for as long as possible. Not only will it freshen the air, but it will add a bit of life and colour to your room. Additionally, it serves as a nice trial to see if you can not only keep yourself, but another thing alive all semester! You could also try incense sticks (not candles: those are still not allowed) to add a spicy or fresh aroma to your room and make it just that little bit more personal.

But the best thing you can do to make your room feel like home is to make it a space where you form memories. Invite friends in, have movie nights, listen to music, read books, write, draw, do whatever you want to do, so that whenever you walk into your room, each space reminds you of something you have experienced in your new home, Glasgow.